Restdown and Locksley
18 Locke Street and 20 Locke Street ESSENDON, MOONEE VALLEY CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is Significant?
18-20 Locke Street Essendon, two similar brick Italianate villas built in 1891 are significant, including projecting polygonal bays, slate hipped roofs, plain, bichrome and polychrome patterned brickwork in a distinctive 'tooth and crown' pattern, and ornate return verandahs of cast iron.
Significant fabric includes the:
original built forms, roof forms, original patterns of fenestration (to principal and side elevations);
slate roofs with metal ridge capping, original chimneys, bichrome and polychrome brickwork, basalt foundations, projecting rectangular and polygonal bays, return verandahs (including original columns, balustrading frieze and brackets);
paired timber brackets and original window and door joinery, masonry sills.
The fences and the extension of no 20 are not significant.
How is it significant?
18-20 Locke Street Essendon is of local architectural (representative) significance to the City of Moonee Valley.
Why is it significant?
'Restdown' 18 Locke Street, Essendon, and 'Locksley', 20 Locke Street, Essendon, two similar, but not identical houses are significant as Victorian era Italianate villas. Within Moonee Valley the most typical examples of the Victorian era are single storey detached houses, mainly constructed of brick. In this regard, 18 and 20 Locke Street are highly representative. Villas in the Italianate style are also well represented in the Heritage Overlay in Moonee Valley with the majority being in the form of detached houses. Amongst other examples on the Heritage Overlay include 23 Brown Avenue, Ascot Vale, c1891 (HO392), 55 Holmes Road, Moonee Ponds, c1898 (HO322), 28 Nicholson Street, Essendon, 1891 (HO265) and 40-42 Vida Street, Aberfeldie, c1892 (H0319).
18-20 Locke Street Essendon demonstrate the Italianate style through their form, materials and architectural detail, including projecting polygonal bays, slate hipped roofs, plain, bichrome and polychrome patterned brickwork in a distinctive 'tooth and crown' pattern, and ornate return verandahs of cast iron. The two Locke Street villas have similar levels of integrity to other comparable Italianate villas in the Heritage Overlay, retaining the main features of the style while incorporating new additions. (Criterion D)
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Restdown and Locksley - Physical Description 1
18 Locke Street, Essendon and 'Locksley', 20 Locke Street, Essendon, are single-storey brick asymmetrical Italianate Victorian villas set on generous suburban blocks on the east side of Locke Street. They sit amongst several villas of comparable date and style in the suburban vicinity. Their unifying features include raised basalt foundations, extensive use of patterned bichrome or polychrome brickwork, projecting rectangular and polygonal bays, ornate return verandahs, and slate roofs. The residences are in a residential area bound by footpaths and nature strips with mature shading trees.
The villas have hipped slate roofs with metal ridge cappings and are embellished by a middle band of alternating slates with diamond-pointed ends producing a chevron pattern. At number 18 the roof extends over a projecting polygonal bay to the northern end of the front elevation and has a separate gable over a square bay to the south. At number 20 this roof extends over projecting rectangular bays at the ends of the return verandah with individual slates to each polygonal bay extension. Stout bichrome diamond-patterned brick chimneys on rendered bases and with truncated rendered tops rise from the roof whilst at number 18 the polychrome brick chimneys have expressed brick crowns.
At number 18 the roof is supported by moulded timber brackets at the eaves above a flat string course. Under the roofline a shallow concave corrugated iron verandah runs the length of the west elevation and returns part way down the south elevation, bounded at either end by the two bays. Stop chamfered timber columns support an elaborate cast iron frieze and brackets, bound by a scalloped valence. A tesselated tile path leads up to the property via dressed basalt verandah steps. An elaborate moulded wood panel door is set in a casing with etched ruby side and fanlights.
The villa's suburban Italianate detailing comprises a red, cream, and brown 'tooth and crown' polychrome brick frontage that recedes to plain red brick at the side elevations. The polygonal bay has three double-hung timber-framed sash windows with moulded timber architraves and dressed basalt sills set in window openings formed by segmental arches.
At number 20 the roof is supported by sculpted brick corbels and a moulded string course. Under the roofline a shallow ogee verandah runs along the main west elevation to the southern bay, and then returns along the north elevation to the subsidiary bay on the north (side) elevation. It is supported on all sides by paired cast iron columns with Corinthian capitals embellished with a contrasting decorative cast iron frieze and brackets. The property is entered via a tessellated path of encaustic tiles leading to dressed basalt verandah steps to an ornate dark timber door casing with stained glass sidelights.
The villas suburban Italianate detailing comprises tuckpointed cream and brown bichrome brick walls. The two rectangular bays with projecting polygonal bays have triple double-hung timber-framed arch windows with moulded timber architraves and dressed basalt sills, which are framed by the contrasting brick.
Both villas have undergone alterations and additions to the rear of the properties. At number 18 recent rear extensions including a second polygonal bay are indicated by an altered roofline and alternative roofing material present at the rear of the dwelling. A red brick chimney at the rear of the property is unlike the design of the pair of street-facing chimneys and is probably not original.
Number 20 has undergone more extensive additions which, due to its prominent corner position are more visible from the street. A contemporary hipped garage addition in the style of the principal building is attached to the south side of the residence at the boundary and is at a lower height than the adjoining residence. Along Levien Street a verandah has been added to the house, east of the polygonal bay. Continuing along the rear wall of the house and extension beyond, it is in a style to match the existing. Along the southern boundary a wing has been added to the original foot print of the villa. Finished in materials and details to match the existing including a polygonal bay this extension is highly visible from the street. A brick hipped roofed double garage has been recently added at the north east corner of the property with access off Levien Street.
Both properties are set within picturesque gardens behind reproduction cast iron palisade fences.
18 and 20 Locke Street, Essendon are of relatively high integrity with few changes visible to original or early elements of the place. Apart from the additions described above, the buildings generally retain their original building form, roof forms, fenestrations to principal and side elevations and verandahs.
The integrity of the buildings is enhanced by the high level of intactness of these main elements, which includes slate roofs with metal ridge cappings, bichrome and polychrome brickwork, basalt foundations, projecting rectangular and polygonal bays and ornate return verandahs.
The integrity of the place is diminished by the extensions to number 20 which are visible from the street and meld with the original style of the place making it difficult to discern original and early fabric.
Heritage Study and Grading
Moonee Valley - Moonee Valley 2017 Heritage Study
Author: Context
Year: 2019
Grading:
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ESSENDON RAILWAY STATION COMPLEXVictorian Heritage Register H1562
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LOWTHER HALL ANGLICAN GRAMMAR SCHOOLVictorian Heritage Register H0146
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ESSENDON INCINERATOR COMPLEXVictorian Heritage Register H0434
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"1890"Yarra City
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"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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